The ninth round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America got underway under gleaming Northern California skies at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, with Saturday’s first race of the doubleheader weekend shining just as bright with competition.

After slipping from second to fifth on the start, Sandy Mitchell (No. 1 Prestige Performance/Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus) locked into an early battle for fourth place with Steven Aghakhani (No. 6 US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Beverly Hills). After jockeying for more than five laps, Mitchell finally got by Aghakhani for position on Lap 10, shortly before the mandatory pit window opened.

Gdovic led the first group of drivers to pit lane on Lap 14, turning the No. 46 over to co-driver Conor Daly. Antinucci made his stop a lap later, with Corey Lewis taking the wheel of the No. 29. Following the pit exchange, Daly came out ahead and waited for the complete pit cycle to finish before assuming the race lead on Lap 19 when Dani Clos made his pit stop in the No. 69 Prestige Performance/Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus and handed the car over to William Hubbell.

From there, the battles began to take shape in each of the four classes. Daly, Lewis and Andrea Amici (No. 1) ran together in formation at the front of the Pro class and the overall field. Lewis closed within the rear bumper of Daly on a few occasions but couldn’t muster the momentum to complete the overtake for the lead. They were still in that order when the time limit was reached, with Daly crossing the finish line 1.825 seconds ahead of Lewis and 3.116 seconds up on Amici.

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

Sights from the IMSA action at Laguna Seca, Saturday Sept. 14, 2019

After taking over for Damon Ockey in the No. 09 US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Vancouver, Jacob Eidson moved quickly past Hubbell in the No. 69 for the ProAm lead and wasn’t threatened. The No. 09 won the class and finished sixth overall. Dean Baker and Bruno Junqueira put the No. 53 Prestige Performance/Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus into second in class, with the No. 69 of Clos and Hubbell third. Ockey and Eidson expanded their points lead to 123-78 in the class and can clinch the ProAm crown in Sunday’s race.

In the Amateur class, Aghakhani and James Sofronas (No. 14 GMG Racing, Lamborghini Newport Beach) put on a memorable duel in the closing stages. Sofronas – competing in his first Lamborghini North America race of the season – made the decisive maneuver past Aghakhani with just under 13 minutes to go in the race and pulled away to win the class. Cameron Cassels placed third in Am in the No. 33 Prestige Performance/Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus.

LB Cup saw a spirited battle to the finish. Chad Reed and Justin Price took the class lead in the No. 22 Dream Racing Motorsport, Lamborghini Atlanta following the pit cycle. Closing fast, however, was Ashton Harrison in the No. 43 Prestige Performance/Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Paramus, after she took over for Stephanie Cemo.

On each of the final two laps, Harrison tried to pass Price coming out of the hairpin last turn. But each time, Price held position and clipped Harrison at the line by a mere 0.145 seconds. Mel Johnson and Thomas Lovelady finished third in LB Cup in the No. 08 GMG Racing, Lamborghini Newport Beach. Heading into Sunday’s race, Johnson leads the class standings by just two points over Harrison and Cemo.